Saturday's European Champions Cup predictions and rugby betting tips: Bath to edge out Welsh hosts

Where to watch the European Champions Cup

All matches are live on TNT Sports

Best best for the European Champions Cup

Saracens to win by 11 to 20 points
1pt 13-5 bet365

Second half to be higher scoring in Leinster v Sale 
2pts 4-5 Betfair, Paddy Power

Bath to win by one to 12 points
1pt 13-8 bet365

Saracens v Connacht 

TNT Sports 1, 1pm

Both of these teams made unsuccessful starts to their Champions Cup campaigns last weekend, and Saracens will be fired up to deliver a strong performance at home after returning from South Africa without even a losing bonus point from their clash with the Bulls.

Sarries were already up against it when number eight Billy Vunipola was sent off in Pretoria, but their frustration will only be increased after that red card was rescinded during the week.

With a record of 21 wins in their last 22 home pool matches in this tournament, 12 of them by more than the 17-point handicap set for this showdown, Sarries are likely to be aiming for a big score to bounce back. And early in that run was a 64-6 demolition of Saturday's opponents Connacht in 2014.

Connacht were thumped 41-5 at home by Bordeaux last week but they have a reasonable record of staying close in big matches. Over the last ten years the Irish outfit have played nine away pool matches, winning just one at Italian side Zebre. But of their eight defeats, six have been by a single-figure margin including clashes with strong sides such as Leicester, Racing 92, and Toulouse.

Hosts Saracens are likely to go on the attack and chase a try bonus point but that could lead to an open game. Sarries won their home pool matches last season 36-20 and 40-28, and another comfortable home win by that sort of margin looks the best bet.

Best bet 

Saracens to win by 11 to 20 points
1pt 13-5 bet365

Stormers v La Rochelle 

TNT Sports 4, 1pm

Champions Cup holders La Rochelle opened with a home defeat to Leinster last week and they are four-point underdogs for this trip to Cape Town.

The Stormers put up a strong fight at Leicester in round one, going down 35-26 at Welford Road, and have won their opening home matches in the United Rugby Championship 31-7 against Zebre and 52-7 against Scarlets.

Bordeaux v Bristol 

TNT Sports 1, 3.15pm

Bordeaux caught the eye with a big 41-5 victory last week at Connacht, a venue where many European big guns have failed to fire, and they are asked to give up a handicap in the high 20s when they entertain Bristol.

The Bears, who have won just three of eight Premiership matches this season, edged Lyon 36-34 in their Pool One opener but have named a much-changed side including Sam Worsley, who makes his tournament debut at fly-half.

Leinster v Sale 

TNT Sports 1, 5.15pm

Sale are top of the English Premiership having conceded the fewest points of any club this term, and they will need to call on all their defensive reserves against a buoyant Leinster side in Dublin.

Having lost out to La Rochelle in the last two Champions Cup finals, Leinster finally got some revenge against the French outfit with a 16-9 victory at the home of their European rivals last week, and they are also in their customary position at the top of the United Rugby Championship table with just one defeat in seven games.

Opponents Sale showed their defensive mettle again in their opening clash, a 28-5 success at home to Stade Francais, but there is a statistical quirk to their Premiership standing as they are top of the table with a minus points difference. 

Only bottom side Newcastle have scored fewer than their tally of 149 points, and only the bottom two teams have scored fewer than their total of 21 tries in eight matches.

Not all of Sale's matches have been a grind, and they have suffered two heavy away defeats - 43-0 at Exeter and most recently 36-3 at Harlequins. They are given a handicap in the high 20s for this showdown against a Leinster team packed with internationals.

There is the potential for Leinster to cut loose but the best bet may be backing the second half to be higher scoring as the game opens up.

Best bet 

Second half to be higher scoring
2pts 4-5 Betfair, Paddy Power

Cardiff v Bath 

TNT Sports 1, 8pm

Bath were big winners over European heavyweights Ulster in round one and should keep up that winning vibe at Cardiff.

With Finn Russell at fly-half to conduct an already strong backline, Bath have become a slick attacking outfit. They have won four of their last five matches - their only defeat coming at Premiership leaders Sale - and have scored 19 tries in those wins.

Cardiff were beaten 52-7 at Toulouse last week but that was as tough an opener as they could have faced. Bath are ten-point favourites for this one and given that three of their four away Premiership matches, as well as all four of Cardiff's games in the URC, have been settled by a single-figure margin, backing a win for the Westcountry side by one to 12 points could pay off.

Best bet 

Bath to win by one to 12 points
1pt 13-8 bet365

Ulster v Racing 92 

TNT Sports 3, 8pm

Ulster are up against it after losing their Pool Two opener at Bath, and although they have a proud record at their Kingspan Stadium home, they face a huge test against French heavyweights Racing 92, who are smarting after a home defeat to Harlequins.

Last season Racing suffered an opening-round chastisement at home to Leinster and went on to win just one pool match - by one point against Quins - but bookmakers aren't predicting another flop and make the Parisian outfit the narrowest of outsiders.

Ulster have lost just two of their last 14 European pool games in Belfast and this could be every bit as tight as the betting suggests.

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